1. COMMAS

2. Not using commas can cause big (gross!) problems

3. Missed commas change meanings…  Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog.  Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking, her family, and her dog.

4. Missed commas change meanings…  Man bacon makes anything taste good.  Man, bacon makes anything taste good.

5. Missing commas change meanings…  Toilet only for disabled elderly pregnant children.  Toilet only for disabled, elderly, pregnant, and children.

7. COMMA USES Use a comma before any coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) that links two independent clauses. I went running, and I saw a duck. He went to the mall and she went to the movies.

8. COMMA USES Use a comma after an introductory clauses, phrases, or words that come before the main clause. When I went running, I saw a duck. After the mall I met her at the movies.

9. COMMA USES Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more things.  I saw a duck, a magician, and a grocery store when I went running.  I bought a sweater pants and a dress at the mall.

10. COMMA USES  Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off words or phrases that are not essential elements of the sentence, such as appositives.  I saw a mallard, a kind of duck, while I was running.  My favorite store Sears sells everything from clothes to appliances.

11. COMMA USES  Use a comma to separate a quotation from the rest of a sentence. “Hey you,” the duck shouted, “why are you running?” “Thank you for shopping with us” the cashier said as I walked away.

12. COMMA USES  Use a comma to separate a dependent clause (incomplete thought) from an independent clause (complete thought) Because the duck spoke to me, I thought I was going crazy. Although I like to shop I wanted to make it to the movies on time.

13. COMMA USES  Use a comma to separate the name of a city from a country or state. I saw the talking duck while running in South Bend Indiana. The Fairfield Commons is located in Beavercreek Ohio.

14. COMMA USES  Use a comma to separate the day of the week from the month and year.  February 13 2014 was the day my daughter was born.  Today is Thursday January 22 2015.

15. Putting commas in the wrong place also affects understanding and changes meanings of sentences!